Simulated golf game apparatus



July 27,1954 BAKKEN 2,684,849

SIMULATED GOLF .GAME APPARATUS Filed July '7, 1950 W fiwemior Aiiarmgys Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES rs'r OFFICE SIMULATED GOLF GAME APPARATUS Lars Bakken, Wayzata, half to Bernhard R.

Minn.

Minn, assignor of one- Bermann, Minneapolis,

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to game apparatus and particularly to a simulated golf game.

In the past many games have been developed and placed on the market in which a ball or marble is propelled up an inclined surface or ramp and the scoring in the game depends upon the distance which the ball is propelled. All of these devices use a spring loaded hammer to propel the ball. Applicants device has no such hammer and is designed to simulate the actual playing of a golf game.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus for playing a game closely simulating the actual playing of golf.

It is another object to provide a playing board having a turf-like surface and adapted to be positioned fiat in level relation and constructed to guide a ball which is hit in a similar manner to the hitting of a golf ball, and having indicia means for determining the length of each shot whereby a hole of predetermined length may be played.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a substantially flat level playing board having a ball confining curved track adapted to receive and guide a ball propelled by striking it with a simulated relatively small club and having markers thereon for indicating the length of each shot to permit the playing of a hole of predetermined length and including a putting green in the center of said board.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the playing board for my golf game;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along th line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

As best shown in the accompanying drawings, I provide a playing board 5 which, in the form illustrated, is convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof, both transversely and longitudinally. A ball guiding track is mounted around the outer portion of said board and is formed from an elongated curving guiding strip 6 fixed along its longitudinal edge to the top of the board 5 in coiled substantially concentrically spaced relation.

The track 1 formed between adjacent portions of the strip 6 is substantially the same width throughout the length thereof except for the spacing at the entrance la. The guiding strip 6 is of suiiicient heighth to guide a ball centrifugally around the track l.

A tee ii is positioned, in the form shown, at one corner of the playing board 5 and each shot is made from said tee. The track I is calibrated to indicate the distance which each shot travels and a golf course plan may be provided as by being laid out in the central portion of the playing board, as exemplified by the three holes 9. These holes 9 are merely intended to set forth the distance of each hole and the ball. is not played along the fair-way which is marked on the playing board surface.

When a hole is to be played the ball is placed on the tee 3 and a miniature club resembling a golf club is used to strike the ball and propel it through the track entrance la and around the track l'. The distance that each shot travels is indicated by the calibrations on the track l and these distances are totaled to complete the playing of a hole and the number of shots required is also totaled in a manner similar to golf. In the form shown, a central putting green is provided which is used whenever the total yardage of the shots played is within twenty yards of the length of the hole. The ball is played along the longitudinal center line on the distance remaining to complete the hole and the club is used to strike the ball and putt the same toward an actual hole I 0 which, in the form shown, consists in a recess or aperture in the playing board 5.

The upwardly convexly curved surface of the board 5 serves two functions. It serves to retain the ball against the guiding strip 6 after the ball has lost most of its momentum and the centrifugal force would not be sufiicient to hold the ball thereagainst to permit accurate reading of the distance travelled. Secondly, this curvature of the board surface serves to provide a somewhat rolling green which makes the putting more difficult and more closely simulates an actual rolling green on a golf course. The entire surface of the playing board is covered with a relatively soft material, such as flocking, which resembles the grass structure and which provides a highly durable surface which is sufficiently resistant to the rolling of the ball to permit a high degree of accuracy to be obtained in the playing of the shots.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely ingenious apparatus for playing a golf game which closely resembles the playing of the actual game of golf.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details ar rangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A game apparatus comprising a playing board, an elongated substantially planar track thereon, continuous means extending upwardly from said playing board for guiding a ball along said elongated track laid out on sad playing board, a tee positioned on the board at the beginning of said track, said tee being spaced a substantial distance away from the entrance to said track, means calibrating varying distances along said track from said tee.

2. The article of claim 1 further characterized by said track being constructed of a number of curved convolutions disposed one within the other, and said means for guiding a ball along said elongated track having an entrance and an exit therefrom.

3. The article of claim 1 further characterized by said board being convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof and sloping outwardly therefrom to maintain a ball projected around the track in close association to said means for guiding a ball along the track even when said ball is at rest.

4, A game apparatus for simulated golfing or the like comprising a playing board, an elongated continuous spiral track laid out on said board, said track being bordered along one side by a guide means supported on its longitudinal edge in fixed relation on said board and extending upwardly therefrom to guide a moving ball around said track, said guide means having an initial edge and a terminal edge to provide an entrance to said track and an exit from said track, a tee positioned on the board at the beginnin of said track but spaced therefrom, means calibrating various distances along said track from said tee, a putting green mounted on said board within said spiral track, said putting green having a recess formed therein into which the ball is attempted to be struck, said board being convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof and sloping outwardly therefrom to produce said rolling putting green in the central portion thereof and to maintain a ball projected around the track in close association to the guide means even when the ball is at rest, and said terminal end of said track being substantially parallel to the intermediate portion of said track and disposed between said intermediate portion and the center of said board.

5. A game apparatus for simulated golfing or the like comprising a playing board having an elongated spiral track laid out on said board, said track being bordered along one side by a guide means supported on its longitudinal edge in fixed relation on said board and extending upwardly therefrom to guide a moving ball around said track, said guide means having an initial edge and a terminal edge to provide an entrance to said track and an exit from said track, a tee positioned on the board at the beginning of said track but spaced therefrom, means calibrating various distances along said track from said tee, said board being convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof and sloping outwardly therefrom to maintain a ball projected around the track in close association to the guide means even when the ball is at rest, and said terminal end of said track being substantially parallel to the intermediate portion of said track and disposed between said intermediate portion and the center of said board.

6. A game apparatus for simulated golfing or the like comprising a playing board having a surface resistant to the rolling of a ball thereacross, an elongated spiral track laid out on said board, said track being bordered along one side by a continuous elongated strip of material supported on its longitudinal edge in fixed relation on said board and extending upwardly therefrom to guide a moving ball around said track, said elongated strip having an initial edge and a terminal edge to provide an entrance to said track and an exit from said track, a tee positioned on the board at the beginning of said tracl; but spaced therefrom, means calibrating various distances along said track from said tee, said distances diminishing in scale from the beginning to the end of said track, a putting green mounted on said board within said elongated spiral track, said putting green having a recess formed therein into which a ball is attempted to be struck, said board being convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof and sloping outwardly therefrom to produce a rolling putting green in the central portion thereof and to maintain a ball projected around the track in close association to said elongated strip even when the ball is at rest, and said terminal end of said track being substantially parallel to an intermediate portion of said track and disposed between said intermediate portion and the center of said board.

7, Game apparatus for a simulated golf game or the like comprising a playing board, means for guiding a freely rolling ball along an elongated spiral track laid out on said playing board, a tee positioned on the board at the beginning of said track, means calibrating various distances along said track from said tee, means on said board for setting forth the length of each hole to be played, and a putting green mounted on said board for use when a player reaches a predetermined distance from the hole, said putting green having a recess formed therein into which the ball is attempted to be struck.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 and said track being constructed in a number of curved convolutions disposed one within the other, and said track being bordered along the outside by a continuous elongated strip of material supported on its longitudinal edge in fixed relation on said board and extending upwardly therefrom to guide a moving ball around said track.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8 and said board being convexly curved upwardly toward the center thereof and sloping outwardly therefrom to produce a rolling putting green in the central portion thereof and to maintain a ball projected around the track in close association to the guiding strip even when the ball is at rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 613,876 Beman Nov. 8, 1898 720,191 Taylor Feb. 1, 1903 1,203,021 Lockett et al. Oct. 31, 1916 1,338,963 Rolfe May 4, 1920 1,704,985 Malloy et a1 Mar. 12, 1929 1,818,700 Feltyberger Aug. 11, 1931 2,003,074 Gage May 28, 1935 2,230,064 MacDougall et al. Jan. 28, 1941 2,478,949 Snyder Aug. 16, 1949 

